Box lid holding device



Nov. 17, 1936.

F., P. TROPEA Box LID HOLDING DEVICE F[G ZL Filed Deo. 30, 1935 WITIYSSx INVENToR v Frank i? Trppa? BY /wq v ToRNEYS.

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE BOX LID HOLDINGDEVICE Frank P. Tropea, St. Louis, Mo.- Application December30,1935,`Serial'No. 56,616 4 6 claims. (ci. zul-60)" This inventionrelates to devices useful in holding open the lids of cigar boxes andthe like for exposure of their contents to view as well as to displaytrade-marks or descriptive matter on the inner sides of the lids havingreference to the products on sale.

The aim of my invention is to provide a. simple and inexpensive devicesuitable for the above purpose, which can be economically manufactured10 in quantity from sheet metal, and which can be easily and quicklyapplied to the boxes without the aid of separate or special seemingmeans.

In the attached drawing, Fig. I is a perspective view of a box embodyingthe lid holding device of my invention, with the box lid of the boxshown in open position.

Fig. II is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowsII-II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary view on a larger scale showing the lid holdingdevice in elevation with the box lid open; and

Fig. IV is a View corresponding to Fig. II but with the box lid closed.

With more detailed reference to these illustrations, l designates acigar box of ordinary construction; and 2 the lid thereof which ishinged at 3 to the top edge of the rear wall 4 of said box.

The lid holding device with which my invention is more especiallyconcerned, comprises two components which are respectively indicatedcomprehensively by the numerals 5 and 6, and which, in practice, vareboth fashioned from stiff springy sheet metal or the like of relativelyfine gauge. As shown, the component 5 is 'in the form of a small oblongplate with integrally formed anchorage prongs 1 at opposite ends, andwith socket means in its surface comprising a series of parallel slots8, of which there are two in the illustrated instance. The plate 5 issecured to or fixed on the top face of the lid 2 at the hinge edge ofthe latter by forcing the prongs 'l under pressure into the material ofthe lid 2, and afterwards clinching them over as shown in full anddotted lines at 9 in Figs. II

and III respectively.

The other component 6 of the lid holding device is in the form of anarrow resiliently flexible tongue with anchorage prongs I0 alongopposite side edges and bottom, and With its free top end rounded orbent to provide a relatively short lateral projection H. The tongue 6 isxed on or secured upright to the center of the back wall 4 o-f the box Iin line with the plate 5 by forcing its prongs l0 into said box wallunder pressure and afterwards clinching them over as shown in full anddotted lines at I2 in Figs. II and III respectively. From Fig. IV itwill be noted that the tongue 6 is so placed that the lateral projectionIl at its free end normally overlies or overreaches the rear edge of theplate 5 when the box lid 2 is closed.

If desired, the prongs of the plate 5 as Well as those of the tongue 6may be made shorter than shown and the clinching operation dis- 10pensed with. Under these circumstances, the components of the device canbe applied to the boxes after packing of the merchandise.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

As the lid 2 is raised, the tongue 6 flexes as 15 its lateral endprojection Il rides over the surface of the plate 5 until it enters oneor the other of the' slots 8 in said plate as shown in full and dottedlines in Fig. II to hold the lid open at correspondingly differentangles, for display of 20 the trademark or other advertising on theinner face of said lid and to expose to View the mer- 'chandise Withinthe box.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the lid holding device of myinvention is very inexpensive 25 to manufacture by die stamping, easilyattached to the boxes; and capable of functioning as a means toyieldingly hold the box lids in different angular positions as may bedesired. It is moreover compact and inconspicuous and does not interferewith stacking or packing.

While I have herein particularly shown and described my invention inconnection with a. cigar box, it is obvious that it may be employed withattainment of equal advantages in connection with boxes for othercommodities. Furthermore, the illustrated device is to be considered astypical of other forms in which my invention may be readily embodiedwithin the scope of the ap- 40 pended claims without sacrifice of any ofthe advantages hereinbefore pointed out.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A box lid holding device comprising an apertured plate adapted to besecured to the top 45 of the lid at the hinge edge; and a resilientlyflexible tongue adapted to be xed on the back wall of the box with aprojection at its free end normally overreaching said plate, so thatwhen the lid is raised, the projection of the flexible tongue 50 willautomatically engage an aperture in the plate to yieldingly hold the lidin open position.

2. A box lid holding device according to claim 1, wherein the plate andthe tongue are fashioned from sheet metal or the like with anehor- 55age prongs adapted to be forced under pressure into the material of thebox and its lid.

3. A box lid holding device comprising a plate, with a series ofapertures therein, adapted to be secured to the top of the lid at thehinge edge; and a flexible tongue adapted to be secured to the back Wallof the box, said tongue having a projection at its free end normallyoverreaching the plate, so that When the lid is raised, the projectionof the tongue can be selectively engaged With one of the series ofapertures in the plate to yieldingly hold the lid open at differentangles.

4. A box lid holding device according to claim 3, wherein the tongue andthe plate are fashioned' from sheet metal or the like with! anchorageprongs adapted to be forced underpreslsulre into the material of the boxand its lid.

hinged thereto, of holding means forthe, lid

comprising a resiliently iiexible tongue fixed to the box and having alateral projection at its free end, adjacent the box lid, and acomponent fixed on the lid having a surface with a socket therein forautomatic yielding engagement by said tongue projection when the lid isswung to open position.

6. The combination With a box and a lid hinged thereto, of holding meansfor the lid comprising a resiliently exible tongue fixed to the box andhaving a lateral projection at its free end, adjacent the box lid, and acomponent fixed on the ...,.lid having a surface with a series ofsockets 4therein for automatic selective engagement by E` said tongueprojection when the lid is swung to open position, so as to hold the lidopen at correspondingly different angles. 5. The combination with a kboxandy aV lid FRANK P. TROPEA.

